Prophylactic: A preventive measure.

The word comes from the Greek for "an advance guard," an apt term for a measure taken to fend off a disease or another unwanted consequence. A prophylactic is a medication, or a treatment designed and used to prevent a disease from occurring.

Other than Neem and Horticulture Oil, last year I rarely sprayed for disease.  I simply focused on compost tea soil drenching’s to build a strong base for my plants, which I learned, can also overdo it… too much of a good thing, is not necessarily great for your plants.  2024 was not a big year for aphids, and I saw lots of lady bugs out and about.  However, there was disease and issues with blister mites on our grapes.  Once the season is done, those buggers crawl into the grape’s main trunk and wait for spring to get back at it.  Rather than spray and pray with one type of OMRI approved insecticide, such as horticulture oil, NEEM or Captain Jack’s Deadbug products, which are all effective and Omri products, we are going to anticipate what is coming, study our plants, diagnose, and take a multi-pronged approach to pest and disease control so that we don’t inadvertently build stronger more resistant bugs and disease. 

Employing this prophylactic approach, we will continue to build our soil and every two weeks spray compost tea with two fertilizers; fish and potash, until we see new buds forming and then back off the fertilizer but continue to spray compost tea and so some root drenching through our irrigation lines.  We will start foliar spraying for the anticipated mites and other destructive mites starting in February.  We are also anticipating powdery mildew or PM, so we are getting on that now in January.

Last August September, the weather got moist with early rains, and we had a whopping case of powdery mildew, a fungal disease, that swept through our small hoop house.  The zinnias had gone mad, growing five feet tall with little air flow between them.  Our bee balm, which is out of control and growing everywhere on the farm, also had PM issues as well. 

PM spores are everywhere and ready to bloom again with the slightest provocation of any warmth.   Alison Kutz from Sound Horticulture, advised us to get at it now, before it’s a problem and then continue to treat every two weeks with a low dose combination of Cease and MilStop. 

MilStop is a foliar fungicide that suppresses and cures Powdery Mildew before it spreads, and Cease is a broad spectrum fungal and bacterial disease prevention and cure.   If we fail to prevent a spore bloom, we will start using these two products separately and in higher doses, again carefully observing so that we don’t unnecessarily apply product when it isn’t needed.

You will need a foliar sprayer of some sort – watch here as Allan sprays the entire hoop house floor to ceiling and sides. See my blog on the sprayer we invested in and how it works.  We purchased Cease and MilStop from Alison Kutz, horticulturist and owner of Sound Horticulture in Bellingham, WA.  Alison is a wealth of information and experience and happily shares her knowledge and expertise.  I met her when I purchased my compost tea maker.  More on that later too.

MilStop^® SP from BioWorks - Active Ingredients - Potassium bicarbonate

Controls Powdery mildew, Alternaria, Anthracnose, Botrytis, Cercospora leaf spot, downy mildew, Monilinia, rust, scab, Septoria leaf spot and more.

MilStop SP is a foliar fungicide that suppresses and cures Powdery Mildew before it spreads. With no known resistance, MilStop SP stands alone in its effectiveness against this dangerous fungal disease. A complete formulation with surfactants already included, it can be applied right up to the day of harvest for extra protection. Add to that its ability to be used more broadly as a preventative control of many other foliar diseases, MilStop SP is one of the most powerful fungal solutions available.

Used in regular spray rotation with our CEASE® fungicide, MilStop SP will also prevent the expression of Powdery Mildew, Botrytis and bacterial leaf spots all season – creating the perfect combination for controlling foliar pathogens in your disease control program.

Product Details:

• Broad-spectrum foliar fungicide
• Destabilizes and destroys fungi at the cell level, while altering pH levels on leaf surfaces to inhibit future growth
• Can be used as a stand-alone fungicide or in combination with other foliar disease control solutions
• Provides up to 2 weeks of residual protection against many other foliar diseases
• Preformulated with surfactants to dissolve more quickly in water, requiring no additional wetting agents or mixing
• Dries quickly and cleanly, with no visible residue
• Does not restrict plant growth
• Compatible with many beneficial insects

Preventative Small Dosage MilStop use 1 tbsp per gallon with Cease at 1.25 tbsp per gallon

CEASE

• Active Ingredients
  Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713
• Controls
  Broad spectrum of fungal and bacterial diseases

CEASE controls a wide range of fungal and bacterial diseases by destroying pathogen cells, while creating a natural barrier on the leaves’ surfaces to prevent parasitic attacks. CEASE also helps plants produce natural compounds to further suppress disease and improve overall plant health through enhanced nutrient uptake, germination, and photosynthesis. And it accomplishes all this without leaving harmful residue, so growers gain quick access to crops for cultural and harvesting operations.

When used as a soil drench, CEASE enhances germination and plant growth by suppressing diseases caused by Rhizoctonia, Pythium, Fusarium, and Phytophthora.

Compatible with many pesticides, fertilizers and adjuvants, and approved for organic production, CEASE provides growers greater utility and flexibility in their operation, making it the perfect biological alternative to synthetic chemicals and coppers. And when rotated regularly with our MilStop^® Foliar Fungicide, CEASE can help prevent season-long expression of Botrytis, Powdery Mildew, and bacterial leaf spots.

• Controls disease using multi-site modes of action for effective resistance management
• Can be sprayed up to and on the day of harvest
• Improves resistance to diseases by increasing plant’s natural production of protective enzymes
• Leaves virtually no residue on plants or flowers
• Performance equal to copper-based products, without the associated phytoxicity
• Safe for beneficial insects and predatory mites
• Compatible with many chemical and biological inputs and tank mixing/rotating